Crimes that take place in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Commonwealth crimes which the AFP investigates

The AFP carefully considers all reports of Commonwealth crimes, however we do not have the resources to investigate every reported crime. We have to ensure we allocate our resources to the crimes which have the greatest impact to Australian society. The AFP's priorities are published in our Case Categorisation and Prioritisation Model (CCPM). Visit How the CCPM is applied to read about how we make our decisions.

What the AFP does not investigate?

The AFP does not investigate:

Civil matters. This includes:

breach of contract

faulty goods or services

defamation

State or Territory crimes - even when the crimes have occurred in more than one State or Territory, or where the suspects live in foreign countries – these are still the responsibility of State or Territory police who can seek assistance from interstate or foreign law enforcement as appropriate. In order to refer an investigation to a foreign law enforcement agency it is necessary to report the matter to your local State or Territory police. Once your local police have exhausted all possible avenues within Australia they can refer the investigation overseas using Interpol Canberra. Members of the public cannot report crimes directly to Interpol or foreign law enforcement. You must report crimes to your local police first.

Some types of Commonwealth crimes unless they have been reported to the responsible Australian Government department or agency first. These include:

Crimes against an Australian agency or department, such as fraud against that agency or department

When another agency or department has the expertise to assess the crime themselves.

The table below lists some common complaints and crimes and shows you where you should report them.

Call the Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off line 131 524 or report it to Centrelink or Medicare via the Services Australia website.

Complaints about an Australian government department or agency, including Courts and Magistrates

Report it to that department or agency first. If you are dissatisfied with the response you receive from the involved agency you can then raise your concerns with the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
If your complaint is about an AFP employee, read about the AFP's Professional Standards

Complaints about your State or Territory police

Contact your local police to find out who investigates complaints in your State or Territory. Each State or Territory has a different agency responsible for investigating police complaints and allegations of corruption. If your complaint is about an ACT police officer, read about the AFP's Professional Standards

Crime Stoppers

If you would like to provide anonymous information about any crime (State, Territory or Commonwealth crimes) please phone Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the Crimestoppers website.